Meatless Monday: Mushroom and Spinach Risotto

Posted on July 2, 2012 • 15 comments

00

This Mushroom and Spinach Risotto is made with regular rice and really is a dish you can make your own AND in less than 30 minutes.

I wasn’t going to cook this meal, because I picked up a couple of ready made organic chicken and leek risottos at the Good Food and Wine show last week. I had spent the weekend running around and the instant but additive-free meal sounded like a perfect option. However, plans changed when I opened the pantry and found that the risotto packets have expanded and were on the verge of blowing up and sending a splatter of risotto all over my wire rack pantry. I quickly discarded them and the idea of an instant meal, and went on to cook my own.

But then of course, I didn’t have any chicken so it had to become a vegetarian version. To makes matters worse I also discovered that I was out of arborio rice – the traditional rice variety used in risotto making. Aw well. I had to improvise and used regular long grain rice instead. I prepared it in the exact same way as I would arborio. Within 10 minutes of beginning to cook, Mr Chipconnoisseur came into the kitchen, seduced by the wonderful aroma that began to fill the house… “Mmm… smells really good”, he said. And it did.

I added the classic trimmings of butter, stock and mushrooms, complemented by bay leaves, a dash of white wine, baby spinach leaves and some Parmesan cheese. But feel free to make it your own and add the things you like, or happen to have on hand. I was even thinking that it go really well as a side to steak or grilled chicken!

Meatless Monday: Mushroom and Spinach Risotto

It really is a dish you can make your own: add (frozen mix of) carrots, peas, corn or roasted pumpkin, rocket, bacon. Anything really... and it's ready in less than 30 minutes. Omit the cheese and use margarine for a dairy-free and vegan version.

I really impressed that you were able to recreate a risotto with a different rice.. that opens up all sorts of possibilities because my pantry is usually stocked with “odds and ends” of different rices.

Love. love. love risottos, but have only ever used the three different risotto rices – glad the LG worked! Actually I only cook vegetarian risottos, probably because both my risotto books are just that 🙂 ! Pumpkin, sweet potato and mushroom ones + ‘green bits in it’ are the favorites. But I use a lot more wine – do you know how good a glass of soft N Italian red is in it, both for looks and taste? Lovely post: thanks!

Delicious – I adore mushrooms risotto! I adore risotto full-stop. Was going to comment about the type of rice and then I read the blog :D. May I suggest that you let the risotto stand for 2 minutes with the lid on jut before you serve it. I find that it really helps the texture and risotto-y quality of the risotto. Then again, you may disagree! 😀

Mushroom and risotto already sounds good and you added spinach. I must try this. So easy to make. Next time when we grill some steak and need rice, risotto it is. I actually can’t wait to try this one out. Not sure if my risotto will come out nicely like yours (mine always look not right…and I’ve been trying to get it right for some time).